Shedding the Weight
Now that you know what's behind your weight gain, you want answers to the most nagging question of all: how do I ditch these extra pounds in the face of thyroid disease?
For most people, the first thing you need to do is to get properly treated. If you have hypothyroidism, that usually means taking thyroid hormone replacement and finding the right dose. Less commonly, it might mean taking antithyroid drugs or undergoing RAI treatments to tame an overactive thyroid.
Fact
Adults aren't the only ones struggling with weight problems. Since 1980, the percentage of children six to nineteen years of age who are overweight has more than tripled, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Experts blame the problem on numerous factors, including too much TV and computer time, too many fast-food meals, and too little exercise.
The good news is, the right treatment can usually help restore you to a normal, healthy weight — or at least get you started on the right path. But losing weight often means also adopting other healthy lifestyle habits that will ensure that you not only lose the weight, but keep it off.
None of these tips are anything new. The strategies boil down to two basic habits: move more and eat less. But the types of exercise you do and the foods you choose to eat can make a big difference in how well you do in slimming down.
